An Apology for the Nonconformists Ministry, Treatise · Part 1 · Objection 5
5 Obj. But what excellent Preaching or Labours have you to boast of more than others, that your Preaching must be thought so necessary? What did you when you did preach, but cast out Catechising, the Lords-prayer, the Creed, and the Communion in the Sacrament out of the Church, and bring the people to be almost Heathens; and cast out all true Discipline and Government, and substituted Presbyterian Examinations before the Sacrament, and rigor and tyranny which the people would not endure? and is this so necessary a thing?
Ans. These things indeed we read and hear from you very often; but another Judg must pass the final sentence. You make us pity the poor world in regard of the uncertainty of History. You put us upon the recital of our practice which will sound like the boasting of a fool. But if blessed Paul was put upon that which he calleth, Speaking like a fool; though they were not the words of folly, we must not murmur if we have the like inconvenience put upon us.
1. If the successes before described be nothing worth in your esteem, yet labour must be continued still; and we must in meekness instruct those that oppose, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, 2 Tim. 2. 25, 26. And I suppose few Parish-Priests of my acquaintance will either judg themselves and their labours useless, or give them over, if the maintenance fail not of success; else how many empty Temples should we have? But you shall not so easily tempt us into utter unthankfulness for so great a mercy as our success beyond our expectation was.
I remember Dr. Ames telleth his Father in Law Dr. Burgess, in his Fresh Suit, that Bishop Morton himself did silence old Mr. Midsley of Rutsdale in Lancashire after God had blessed his Ministry with the Conversion of many thousand souls (and his Son after him he silenced also.) Whether you will think that this which he calleth conversion, being but from Popery, ignorance, sensuality and prophaneness, be to be valued, or whether you will deny the publick matter of fact, I know not; but for my part I was glad to hear that he was not silenced till many thousands had been converted by him. And O what abundance of success this way had the Ministry of Mr. Hildersham, Mr. Nichols, Mr. Dod, Mr. Thomas Hooker, Mr. John Rogers of Dedham, Mr. Herring, Mr. Barlow, and abundance more of the old Nonconformists? And what understanding excellent persons were Dr. Ames, Mr. Bradshaw, Mr. John Ball, Mr. John Paget, old John Fox, Mr. Paul Bain, Mr. Parker, &c. To say nothing of Mr. Perkins, Dr. Humphrey, Dr. John Reynolds, &c. who were more Nonconformists than I and those of my judgment are. Doubtless they were as like to know how to Preach, without either prating phrases, or ignorant, unlearned, dry unedifying Sermons, tending to bring Christianity into contempt, as most (at least) of the Parish-Priests that I use to hear in any place where ever I come.
2. And as to our own Preaching, I confess we have little cause to boast of it. For my own part God knoweth I have seldom come out of the Pulpit without some grief and self-accusation, that I should stand there to speak as a Minister of Christ about so great a matter as the everlasting Salvation of the peoples souls, and that to men that are almost dying, and must shortly be all in an unchangeable state, where there is no more time of preparation for their final doom, and yet that I should speak with no more wisdom, life and servency. That I do not every time importune the hearers with the greatest seriousness that my soul can reach unto, and with tears beseech the impenitent to consider, and with earnestness awaken stupid souls, at least to some regard of their Salvation, (though I were never so much derided for all this with all the reproaches that blinded malicious wit can invent) The Lord knoweth that if it had not been for the undeniable necessities of the world, which hath not enow that are fitter than my self, (though very unworthy) I had never entered into the Sacred Ministry; and after I was entered I had soon repented of it. We have upon our selves so penitent a sense of our own neglects, that hindereth us from flying in the face of those that silence us. We use not to others (whatever we now say to your selves) to talk of your faults herein so much as of our own. And we daily beg of God to pardon us, that we speak no more wisely and importunately in so great a case when we had time. And that we did not watch more diligently over the peoples souls, and teach them publickly, and from house to house day and night, in season and out of season, even with tears. And we daily pray that those that come in our places may be better than we have been, and may take warning by us, to be more studious and laborious.
But yet seeing you have left us no other answer, I shall Historically tell you the truth of our course, and leave it to the judgment (not of you, for you are partial, and some deride us, and some believe us not; nor yet of our People, for they know it, and therefore believe not the reproachers; but) of all indifferent sober men.
I remember when Mr. Thomas Wadsworth Minister at Newington-Buts was put out, the Parishioners came to me with a Petition to the King for some pity to their souls in his Restoration, and would have had me to have directed them how to get it delivered. I told them it was a thing not to be attempted, being contrary to the course of the present Laws, and so it never was delivered (that I know of.) But when I read it, I saw the difference between man and man. They therein expressed that he had been a prudent, constant, painful Preacher to them, that he was of a most blameless exemplary life; that he spent all that he had in charitable works; that he visited, and instructed, and Catechised every family, house by house, that he hired a Minister to assist him in such private Catechising and instructing; that he bought Bibles to give all the poor of the Parish that could not buy them; with much more of the like. And he was not succesless, nor is not since his silencing to this day. It would be endless to multiply such instances of the now silenced Ministers in this Land.
But because I am Purus putus Puritanus, as its said, and you will have it so that I must be named more than others, as one by whom the world may know the rest, even with an Ex uno omnes, to use some of your own expressions; I shall tell you what was my course, and how far I am guilty of the matter of these accusations.
1. My body being exceeding weak, I Preached but twice a week, once on the Lords-day, and once on the Market-day.
2. The Doctrine which I Preached being visible in above seventy Books, and my Religion described so fully in my Reasons of the Christian Religion, my Confession, and many other Treatises, I need not now repeat; nor plead for it to the world, that it is not heresie, nor Phrase-divinity (as they now speak.) And whether non sense, other men that have sense must judg.
3. I had one or two Assistants with me (who besides two sequestred Ministers and my self) were maintained out of the maintenance of the Vicaridg (and at last an augmentation for a Chappel.) One of these Preached one part of the day with me, and the other twice at a Chappel near.
4. We never baptized a child without the profession of the Creed, (so that we did not cast out that); and we seldom prayed any day without concluding with the Lords-prayer. And the Sacrament we administred oft. Indeed we kneeled not in the reception, because we had liberty to do as we thought fittest. But I openly told them that I judged kneeling not unlawful, nor would refuse any that did kneel on that account. But many came not, because the rest kneeled not, and they might not have it on a distinct day by themselves (which tended to division), but most because they were told of the (after mentioned) Discipline that would be used towards them.
5. At first we Catechised in the Church, where the Creed, Lordsprayer and Decalogue were daily repeated. Afterward we took a more effectual course; all the families in the Town came to my house, and my Assistants went to their houses in the Parish (it being almost twenty miles about.) Mondays and Tuesdays half the day we constantly spent in this work, taking about fourteen families a week between two of us. We first heard them repeat the words of the Catechism, or at least of the Creed, Lords-prayer and Decalogue. Next we tried how they understood some part of them. Then we a little with tenderness and modesty enquired of their consent, their resolution, and their thoughts of, and preparations for another world; and if any were ashamed to open their ignorance, we urged them not any further, but turned our speech to instruction and exhortation. And the superiors and ancients we examined not before their servants or children, but put those Questions, and used those Exhortations to their servants and children in their hearing which we desired them themselves to receive. And we still concluded with the most urgent exhortations for preparation for death and judgment that we were able; and when it was meet, engaging the ignorant, negligent and sensual, to sober promises of another course. And thus we usually spent about an hour with a family, in which I spent my self as much as in a Sermon at least. And through Gods mercy we seldom parted with them, without some signs of their present repentance, and purposes of amendment for the time to come. But our method being punctually described in the end of my Reformed Pastor, I shall say no more of it.
6. My Assistant in the Town Mr. Sergeant, was a man of so great prudence, piety, meekness, peaceableness, self-denial, and blamelesness of life, that I never to my remembrance saw him in anger, nor ever heard an offensive word from his mouth, nor ever saw or heard of an offensive (much less a scandalous) action done by him in all the years that he was there. I never heard him grudg at any labour, (when he travelled as aforesaid to all the houses of the Parish, and Preached usually twice each Lords-day, at three miles distance one from the other.) Nor did I ever hear man or woman blame him for any word or deed; nor ever heard him ask what money he should have, but took it as it came. And was indeed as a willing and loving servant unto all, and was beloved by all; (though we had many more affectionate taking Preachers.)
7. I gave to every family in Town and Parish (being beside a great Borough about twenty Villages) a Catechism, and some of my lesser Books, and of every Book I wrote usually as many as my Purse could well afford. And to every Family a Bible, which either for want of money, or of willingness to buy, had none, where any one in the house could read.
8. After the Lecture at evening, as many as had leisure and will, assembled at my Lodgings, where one of them repeated the Sermon; and any one that would did by word or writing, put in such doubts about the things delivered, the solution of which would tend to their further satisfaction, which I then answered. And if they had any other cases of Conscience, they offered them to me in writing (that I might see whether they were fit for publick mention), and then we sung a Psalm, and I or one of them did pray.
9. All the Ministers of the County whose names are Printed in our Book of Concord, did agree (seeing the Rulers that then were did leave all Discipline to the Churches will, and constrained none; and seeing we were divided about Church-Government, to the great damage of the Church), That we would all practise so much of the spiritual discipline as all three parties, Episcopal, Presbyterian and Independents were agreed in, (which we thought enough for our union and reformation) and leave the rest without the compass of our agreement; that so the Episcopal party might not say, that we break the Laws, or shut them out; nor the rest say, that our narrow principles excluded them from our Communion.
10. Accordingly once a mouth I had a meeting to hear and admonish them that after more private reproof, had refused repentance for heinous and notable offences; where were present three Justices of the Peace (as at their monthly meeting, to do that which belonged to the Magistrate, and see that we did not usurp their power) and above twenty of the Seniors of the Town and Parish, (not as Lay-Elders or Officers to vote, but as those of the people that had best leisure and advantage to see that we did the Church no wrong) and two or three Pastors, and three or four elected Deacons. Where our chief trouble was with drunkards, exhorting them to repentance, and praying with them, and to keep peace among the neighbours, and maintain their unity.
11. The next day of every month, the Neighbour-ministers met at the Lecture, and afterward at an Ordinary in an honest neighbours private house; where if any of our Parishes obstinately refused repentance for drunkenness or such open heinous sin, he was gently admonished and exhorted before all the Ministers. But our usual work was a Disputation on some useful point in Divinity, to exercise and edifie the younger sort, where were usually present about twenty, and among them some of the most learned, sober, Episcopal Divines that were in these parts, who were constant or frequent helpers of us, Mr. Thomas Good, Mr. Mar. Johnson, &c.
12. Those open great offenders who before these Ministers also refused to profess Repentance, I did three Lords-days as gently and affectionately as I could, admonish publickly before all the Church, and after that some days publickly prayed for their Repentance; which if they refused not, they there consest their sin, and desired the Churches prayers for their pardon and reformation. But if they still refused, I declared them unfit for the Communion of the Church, according to the Laws of Christ, and required the Church to avoid their Communion; and we used no other Excommunication. But this discipline we used on none but those that consented to it before, and not over any that would rather forsake our Communion than submit to it, lest they should think I did them wrong.
13. The people of the place also did, for ought I know, as much as I, for the promoting of their neighbours good: 1. By their unity and concord. 2. By their humility and blameless lives. 3. They met in the houses of many of those that were ablest to help them; on Saturday▪ nights, to call to mind the last Lords-days Exhortations, and on the Lords-days twice to repeat the Sermons preacht that day, and sing a Psalm, and pray together, and no more.
The Reasons of these meetings I refer (not to the enemies of all things that favour of diligence for a mans soul, but) to all that know what a soul is worth, and what is due from the Creature to his Creator, and what is necessary to the information of an ignorant man.
1. Many families had no one that could read; and such were also the most ignorant; so that they could not do any thing in a holy use of the Lords-day but what they did at Church, unless they took their neighbours help. And time on any day is precious, and not to be cast away in vain.
2. These persons, and many more, could remember but little of a Sermon by once hearing; yea twice was too little with the most. And we preach not only to be heard and admired, but to edifie souls; and how great a discouragement is it to a faithful Minister, to bestow his time and labour in preparing and speaking that which so nearly concerneth his auditors, and to cast it as seed by the highway side, and to have it all die in the hearing, and carried no further than the Church-doors. If I taught a School of boys, or sent my servant but on certain businesses for my self, I should not be willing that all my words should go no further. And old ignorant men do hardlier learn than boys; and heavenly Doctrine is more hardly remembered than common business in the world.
3. If the Lords-day had been but a time of leave to use such helps, and not of duty, we should take it for a great mercy to have leave to spend that time in seeking God, and life everlasting, which else would be lost, or spent in trifles.
4. Our people were generally poor labourers, that could spare so little time for such things on the week-days (but what they did in their Shops at their work) that it must be now, or not at all.
5. Common charity and many Scripture-precepts oblige all good Christians to help to edifie and save their neighbours by all just and lawful means.
6. We found by great experience, that it greatly increased knowledg and obedience, and piety in the people.
7. And so far was it from causing sects or heresies, or contempt of Ministers, or private mens Preaching, that it was the chief of all means that ever I found successful against these exorbitancies; so that when those Pastors that cried down such meetings as Conventicles, and restrained the people from meeting to repeat or pray, did thereby occasion them to go further in their undertakings than they ought. I still found that to let them do what belonged to them as private men, was the means to keep them from that which belonged only to the Ministers; and needful meetings in their houses in due subordination to the Pastors and Church-assemblies, was the best way to keep them from schismatical meetings, which were in opposition to the Pastors and Church-assemblies. Yea, that to drive them hard on to their proper duty in their families, and for their ignorant neighbours, was the best way to convince them, that they had neither ability nor leisure for more, which belonged not to them. In a word, it was a principal cause that we had no sects nor divisions among us.
And now if any man come with his exceptions against such meetings as dangerous to the Church or State, I only answer him, 1. Try it as much as we have done, before you condemn you know not what. 2. Will you do nothing to help the people to Heaven, but that which is lyable to no abuse, or inconvenience? Then Christ and the Gospel, and Scripture, and much more Reason it self must be renounced, which are all more abused than such private meetings. 3. See that you be not more afraid of sects, than of mens apparent ungodliness and damnation. 4. And see that it be not your own want of skill and diligence, that makes you oppose that means which you cannot guide and manage.
Obj. But this was not the common case of the Nonconformists: what do you tell us a long story of your doings, when it was otherwise throughout the land.
Ans. 1. You know that there were then many Sectaries in the land, and you may as well impute to us your own misdoings as theirs. We justifie not the Sectaries in their principles or practises.
2. What was the Doctrine and practise of Presbyterian and Independents, the writings which they all agreed to, will partly tell you. In the Confession of Faith you see what Doctrine they agreed to Preach. In the Catechisms they shew you that the Creed, Lords-Prayer and Decalogue, were not only to be learned by the people, but the sense and use also of them all. And is this casting them out of the Church? And in the Directory they advise to the use of the very words of the Lords prayer in the Churches.
3. That I was not singular in this course, you may soon learn if you will but enquire what was done at Bewdeley, Stourbridg, and other places round about me. Nay when our two Agreements, one for Catechising and personal Conference from house to house, and the other for common concord in Discipline, were subscribed by so many of all that County, and some adjoining, whose names are visible there in print, you may imagine they endeavoured to do what they subscribed to do.
4. Nor was it that County only; you may see in their Printed Agreements that the Ministers of Westmorland, and other Counties agreed much on the same courses. And Essex, Wiltshire, Dorsetshire, and many others, had begun the same work, from which the return of Diocesans hath released them.
And remember that the charge of casting out all Discipline; and of Presbyterian examinations and severities, are hardly reconcileable; nor yet the not administring the Sacrament, and the examining of the people before the Sacrament. But for our Countrys, we used not such examinations; because our foresaid ordinary Catechising and conference, and also our requiring a publick profession of the Christian faith and life, at the transition of the youth out of their state of Infant-membership into that of the adult, (described by me in my Treatise of Confirmation) did better answer their necessities.